<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Weird vpn problem, connection restarts with long delay.]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">Running pfSense 2.0 on a Dell server, using OpenVPN Roadwarrior.<br />
In short: Some - but only some! - vpn clients restarts every 2 minutes after "inactivity timeout". Seems to be some issue with the p12-file (!).</p>
<p dir="auto">I have created 5 user-connections, Client config exported via Client Export -&gt; Configuration archive.<br />
The .ovpn and .key files are identical for all users, .p12 is password protected.<br />
<strong>Problem:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Some Windows-users have problem with the tunnel being restarted every 2 minutes.<br />
Due to the OpenVPN log reconnection is done in a few seconds, however for the client the vpn-connection stalls for about half a minute each time.</li>
<li>On my Debian connection is not restarted.</li>
<li>On my Win7 connection is restarted with delay.<br />
<strong>Fix one:</strong> <em>The .conf file created has unix-style LF/CR!</em><br />
So in Windows the config is all in one single line, with no space before new line.<br />
Example: dev tunpersist-tunpersist-keyproto udp …etc<br />
I fixed this with notepad, and my problems are gone.<br />
<strong>However,</strong> for my colleague this doesn't change anything.<br />
<strong>But</strong> when he uses my .p12 then the problems are gone, when I use his .p12 I get the restart problem (both Win &amp; Debian)<br />
So it has to be related to the .p12, how is that possible?</li>
</ul>
<p dir="auto"><strong>Summary:</strong><br />
2 WinXP both has problem.<br />
Out of 5 users on Win7 Pro 3 have the delay problem 2 has no problems.<br />
Adding "ping-restart 0" doesn't help.</p>
<p dir="auto"><strong>Details:<br />
Setup</strong> Firewall &amp; vpn server:</p>
<ul>
<li>One pfsense box in serverhall with one public &amp; one private ip.</li>
<li>OpenVPN as Roadwarrior server, Remote Access SSL/TLS.</li>
<li>Certificate created, TLS Auth uses Enable authentication of TLS packets.</li>
<li>Client config exported via Client Export -&gt; Configuration archive</li>
</ul>
<p dir="auto"><strong>Workstations:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4 Office workstations running Win 7.</li>
<li>I run Debian Lenny in VirtualBox on one of these workstations as my main OS.</li>
<li>A bunch of home 'puters &amp; laptops running Win 7 or Win XP.</li>
</ul>
<p dir="auto"><strong>Log:</strong></p>
<pre><code>Thu Dec  1 15:44:28 2011 Initialization Sequence Completed
Thu Dec  1 15:46:17 2011 [Roadwarrior_cert] Inactivity timeout (--ping-restart), restarting
Thu Dec  1 15:46:17 2011 SIGUSR1[soft,ping-restart] received, process restarting
</code></pre>
<p dir="auto"><strong>.ovpn:</strong></p>
<pre><code>dev tun
persist-tun
persist-key
proto udp
cipher AES-128-CBC
tls-client
client
resolv-retry infinite
remote #.#.#.# 1194
tls-remote Roadwarrior cert
pkcs12 mail-udp-1194.p12
tls-auth mail-udp-1194-tls.key 1
</code></pre>
]]></description><link>https://forum.netgate.com/topic/39752/weird-vpn-problem-connection-restarts-with-long-delay</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2026 22:53:17 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://forum.netgate.com/topic/39752.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:23:38 GMT</pubDate><ttl>60</ttl></channel></rss>